Quincy City Council Meeting - March 16, 2026
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Quincy City Council Meeting - March 16, 2026
The Quincy City Council met on March 16, 2026, at 7:00 PM in Council Chambers. The meeting included a presentation from Adams Fiber awarding Quincy as a Smart Rural Community, a housing study update, public comment, approval of the consent agenda, and first readings of ordinances.
Consent Calendar
- Approved items included resolutions authorizing Quincy Transit Lines to apply for the Downstate Operating Assistance Grant (11a), execution of the Section 5311 Grant agreement (11b), acceptance of the Special Warranty (11c), purchase of core switches from SHI International Corp. for $158,858.83 (11d), low bid from Sterling Water Technologies for monosodium phosphate (11e), and a resolution to inform DCEO of Quincy’s intent to establish a Star Bond District (11f). Also approved a special event application from Horizons Soup Kitchen for the Race Against Hunger 5K on April 11, 2026 (8a).
Public Comments & Testimony
- One member of the public spoke about accountability, public records, and what they believed were fees and issues with transparency in city operations. They referenced past incidents and called for public oversight.
Discussion Items
- Housing Study and Comprehensive Plan Update: A subcommittee presented recommendations from the housing study. They recommended that the city budget for a comprehensive plan update including a neighborhood land use plan, estimated at $250,000. The current zoning code is 36 years old. Four working groups (zoning, data and info, PL, etc.) are studying housing opportunities, particularly multi-family housing. The subcommittee emphasized community engagement and respect for neighborhoods. Only three percent of land within a mile and a half of the city center is zoned for multi-family, and that is mostly used. The recommendation for a comprehensive plan redo is supported by partners including BRADOS.
- First Presentation of Ordinance Amending Taxicabs and Limousines (12c): First reading of an ordinance to amend Title XI, Chapter 125 of the Municipal Code.
- First Presentation of Ordinance Vacating Alley (12d): First reading of an ordinance to vacate an undeveloped alley in Ward 1.
- FOIA Software Update: The FOIA officer announced a new FOIA software program to help manage the increasing volume of requests. So far in 2026, 143 requests have been received, up from 47 previously. The cost is below the threshold requiring council approval.
Key Outcomes
- The consent agenda items were approved.
- First presentations were made for ordinances 12a (parking schedule amendment), 12b (school no parking zones), 12c (taxicabs and limousines), and 12d (alley vacation). No final votes were taken.
- The recommendation for a comprehensive plan update was presented and discussed; further council action is pending.
- The council received information on the new FOIA software program.
The meeting also included a presentation from Adams Fiber, prayer, pledge of allegiance, roll call, and approval of the March 9, 2026, minutes.
Meeting Transcript
Good evening. Welcome to Member Day. Currently I've come very second after some house. And uh I would like to have me and that. Thank you for having us reading out uh we can see uh the work now and uh I'll go and just have uh this kind of football I've done quite well so you don't uh Andrew Barrett, uh and Bowman, so uh now we just got Bob Brother with Robbie, uh going back to up the north uh uh round, uh Rose, going behind, uh and uh uh they were definitely uh um both my friends uh make uh take them to um uh round out of uh uh people uh with uh two uh change who does a lot with uh the younger boys. But uh we're gonna uh support um uh the book that was going to have to have fans uh and student battle uh some others that reached out and work with uh really kind of the day and so uh we really uh the boys mentioned that time how felt while you know we were at home we have home games and all that we have you know I think we had almost as many bands uh they would be home and so we just hope to appreciate all the support that you have shown these one uh uh and I greatly appreciate as well with all the hard work uh and dedication that both uh uh for about four and a half months now so uh we just want to uh thank all the things every four years ago. And thank you guys for being here today. Yeah to this clearly basketball is too and any time we've got a clean goal to be still clean everybody gets basketball either. You guys might not realize the legacy that you've left and to you guys are bad age in the plant approaching basketball. But you will have said the community what that work can do and how far that can go. And now you probably might have been a little disappointed with that how far the combat didn't quite do it. But you know what the hope that you do that community just from the performance was amazing. So thank you guys for the hard work we put on I know you have good people ahead of you. Some of you may be going on to play basketball, some of you might choose to be found, but whatever you decide to do you guys are all going to be bonus and we're going to make people part of not technical basketball competitions you've been put on this. So thank you guys for what we've done with this command. Uh we can have to last ones as well otherwise I know we need to get going so thank you for doing that. Thank you very much have a great week. And before we call the meeting for order, I will ask Paul and Paul um tell us a little bit give us an update on what's happening with the people it's gonna be uh we can have the vendor is just maybe the microphone so maybe they may uh see that a lot too late for this yeah the way to come up and the most important housing is a classic and people that can paste and those are looking for gene and just cost two and we have four very hard working groups that can add back over cost too. Those are zone, data and info, and PL and one of the things and we seem to looking at the issue that we had before is the how to new housing opportunities in the city of country how to look at our neighborhood and decide what's the best path forward for housing within this neighborhood and both things that we appear numerous time throughout this process was talking about the zone for the city country and how we um last yeah really overall comprehensive plan. So in the middle that the zoning code was adapted and even that's pretty six years ago. So we're using the same zoning code that can't been using for the last 36 years with a few mining additions along the money. And kind of bring that to light a zoning map that allows for money and within the city of country. We can find an amendment and I think zoning code and zone map is not allowed for legacy years. We have the legacy to do it in 29. So um we've the permanent things have the little bit of cleaning with that done code. So it's a very time that we talk about because 46 years. Um this is a point for enforcement development within the city and it's very important that we have good information in that data so that's how we can integrate housing opportunities that is in the learning houses and multif multi-final opportunities within the existing community and and looking forward. How are we going to grow our community so this is a key piece. So the first recommendation of the national housing is that we recommend that the city of consumer budget it's an it's going to it's interface for a comprehensive plan to include a neighborhood landing plan. And we work at the zone and we do have at least a couple of additional passport members for us and one here and think that off and then ultimately pass for just an income company. Uh data is looking at some available development opportunities and getting that data according to the council pretty soon uh about what we feel would be on type of learning include but the more up the most uh um easier areas uh uh to redevelop a developer again in fair predominantly do looking out. Uh the zoning group is all the most important time through the uh recommendations that's gone to our four passports that will be back to the council pretty soon just to alleviate some clear. We talked about increasing designation residential area as residential zoning designations, it is not every single zone in designation or residential zone in designation. So don't get uh worried about that. It's it's gonna be very appropriate uh when we make those recommendations. PL post up external uh messaging and trying to alleviate some of the um uh nodes or each constituents a different way of zoning and um land use in housing and we want to make sure that land load development models things are not are not bad words anymore. Uh we're gonna try and make sure they're uh kind of talking type and same language and uh you know uh working together to do to the goal of increasing housing part and and making it work. Um one of the things that came out that talked me, and I could mind this but I didn't uh but I'm I've tried to do this out of the real distance, but I've had around the interest within the mile and a half, only three percent percent right now is done uh appropriately for multi-finance. And as that small percentage, but small three percent, uh that's mostly useful. So one of the things we talked the zone uh subcommittee work is is I don't find some places on the uh in the mile and a half includes that part of the city that would be appropriate for multi-family. Uh a million three-source park are going to have to do things a little differently. And so uh there'll be some outside the box paintings, and outside the box recommendations, and again there's gonna be more concrete ones as we go, but um that's what we kind of written method. Uh it's it's we're putting a lot of work the subcommittees of work and we have uh you know, as well I well, I don't have to prepare on this bad to sit back and just go to meetings and put bonds and then kind of compete rather than really than head sometimes. But uh but I think it's a good offer. It's a little better than the supporting uh uh committee because it's not just one defined task, it's a it's a big task. So both workers will be some information as we said that it's appropriate to bring to the council. Uh we hope again to have the support for the uh comprehensive plan redo because it's necessary. Uh I think the last tweet was in 2013, I believe, but there has not been a major overhaul since I think maybe it's closed. So uh we do have partners as you probably know. Uh Brados has always came on board as a partner, the public are you know the Mayo and others he's working on.
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